Access
Use
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Location of Originals
Appendix: Abbreviations
Biographical Note
Scope and Content of Collection
Arrangement
Related Material
Title: John O. Koehler papers
Date (inclusive): 1934-2008
Collection Number: 2001C75
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In
German
and English
Physical Description:
74 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 3 card file boxes
(31.1 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, news dispatches and news stories, photocopies of East
German
secret police documents, photocopies of United States government documents, post-reunification
German
governmental reports, clippings, other printed matter, photographs, sound recordings, and video tapes, relating to political
conditions in Germany, the East
German
secret police, the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II, and Soviet espionage within the Catholic Church. In part,
used as research material for the books by J. O. Koehler,
Stasi: The Untold Story of the East
German
Secret Police
(Boulder, Colo., 1999), and
Spies in the Vatican: The Soviet Union's War against the Catholic Church (2009).
Creator:
Koehler, John O.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2001
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John O. Koehler papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Location of Originals
This collection contains photocopies of documents in the Bundesbeauftragte für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes
der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (BStU) and the United States National Archives and Records Administration.
Abbreviation |
Full Name (in
German
)
|
English equivalent |
BF |
Bundesbeauftragte für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Abteilung
Bildung und Forschung
|
Research and education department of the Federal Commission for the Papers of the State Security Service of the former
German
Democratic Republic
|
BfgA |
Bundesanstalt für gesamtdeutsche Aufgaben |
Federal Institute for pan-
German
Tasks
|
BRD |
Bundesrepublik Deutschland |
Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) |
BStU |
Die Bundesbeauftragte für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik |
Federal Commission for the Records of the State Security Service of the former
German
Democratic Republic
|
DDR |
Deutsche Demokratische Republik |
German
Democratic Republic (GDR)
|
DKP |
Deutsche Kommunistische Partei |
German
Communist Party
|
HA I |
Hauptabteilung I |
Chief Department I (Army) |
HA II |
Hauptabteilung II |
Chief Department II (Counterintelligence) |
HA III |
Hauptabteilung III |
Chief Department III (Technology and Radio) |
HA V |
Hauptabteilung V |
Chief Department V (Culture, Education) |
HA VII |
Hauptabteilung VII |
Chief Department VII (Prisons) |
HA XVIII |
Hauptabteilung XVIII |
Chief Department XVIII (Economy/Industry) |
HA XX |
Hauptabteilung XX |
Chief Department XX (Dissidents and Culture) |
HA XXII |
Hauptabteilung XXII |
Chief Department XXII (Terrorism) |
HVA |
Hauptverwaltung für Aufklärung |
Chief Administration for Intelligence (Foreign espionage) |
IM |
Inoffizielle Mitarbeiter |
Unofficial collaborater |
IMB |
Inoffizielle Mitarbeiter - Blickfeld |
Senior IM with close contact to the target |
Koko |
Komerzielle Koordinierung |
Commercial Coordination (department responsible for acquiring western currency and products) |
MfS |
Ministerium für Staatssicherheit |
Ministry for State Security (Stasi) |
NVA |
Nationale Volksarmee |
National People's Army |
OibE |
Offizier im besonderen Einsatz |
Officer in special service |
ZAIG |
Zentrale Auswertungs- und Informationsgruppe |
Central evaluation and information group |
ZERV |
Zentrale Ermittlungsstelle Regierungs- und Vereinigungskriminalität |
Center for discovery of governmental and reunification crimes |
Biographical Note
June 11, 1930 |
Born, Dresden, Germany |
1950-1951 |
Freelance newsman for McGraw Hill Publications, Overseas Weekly, and Associated Press in Germany. |
1951-1952 |
Sub-editor and reporter for Frankfurt bureau of Reuters. |
1952 |
Reporter for The Canadian Press, Vancouver, WA. |
1952-1953 |
Reporter for United Press Association and British United Press, covering Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Seattle. |
1953-1954 |
Covered, wrote and edited local news for the Anacortes American (Washington). |
1954-1957 |
Served in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve, entering the Army as a corporal and holding the rank of captain
when discharged. Assignments included intelligence collection, counter intelligence, criminal investigation, and public affairs.
|
1957 |
Concurrent with Army service, reporter and editor for United Press Association in Phoenix, AZ. |
1957-1985 |
AP Correspondent for 28 years, served as head of bureau in Bonn (1959-1962), chief correspondent in Berlin (1962-1965), and
bureau chief for New Jersey (1965-1967). Also serves as deputy director and general manager for Personnel, and assistant general
manager and managing director for the World Services Division at Associated Press headquarters in New York.
|
March 1987 |
Assistant to the President and Director of Communications under Ronald Reagan. |
1999 |
Stasi: the Untold Story of the East
German
Secret Police
is published by Westview Press.
|
July 2009 |
Spies in the Vatican: the Soviet Union's War Against the Catholic Church is published by Perseus Books Group.
|
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection documents John Koehler's career as a journalist, intelligence officer, and writer; it consists of correspondence,
news stories, photocopies of East
German
and United States government documents, post-reunification
German
governmental reports, clippings, printed matter, photographs, sound recordings, and videotapes. Includes papers related to
the Associated Press, the U.S. Army, political conditions in Germany, espionage, and especially the East
German
secret police. The bulk of the papers were collected by Koehler while researching and writing his book, entitled
Stasi: The Untold Story of the East
German
Secret Police.
The Professional Files series includes news stories written by Koehler for the Associated Press (AP) and other news organizations,
many of them dating from his time as chief correspondent in Berlin, and it also includes speeches and lectures given about
journalism. Additionally, the Professional Files contain a small amount of material relating to the U.S. Army, Koehler's consulting
company, and his work as President Reagan's communications director. The Correspondence series records Koehler's duties at
the AP, particularly after he began working in the AP administrative offices in the United States. The Photographs series
is mainly composed of AP photographs from Koehler's time as a reporter, depicting escapes from East Germany as well as photographs
of Koehler himself.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into four series: Professional Files, 1946-1989; Correspondence, 1960-1997; Photographs, 1960-1979;
and Stasi Research Materials, 1931-2002. The Stasi Research Material series is further divided into five subseries:
German
Democratic Republic State Security Ministry files, 1931-1993 [bulk 1952-1989]; Federal Republic of Germany reports, 1990-1998;
United States government documents, 1943-1997; Interviews and broadcasts, 1991-1997; Subject Files, 1931-2002.
Related Material
Jürgen Perduss collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
GDR Oral History Project interviews, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Heinrich Bortfeldt interviews, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Christian Joppke papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands miscellaneous records, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Audiotapes
Video tapes
Secret service -- Soviet Union
Journalists
Espionage, Russian
Germany -- Politics and government -- 1945-1990
Secret service -- Germany (East)
Espionage, East
German
Catholic Church
John Paul, Pope, II, 1920-2005
Germany (East). Ministerium für Staatssicherheit